Daily Zohar # 1467 – Shemini – A donkey with a history
Hebrew translation:
16. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וּבְיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּת? אָמַר לוֹ, כֵּן, כְּמוֹ רָשָׁע בְּיַד צַדִּיק. אֲבָל רָשָׁע בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל רָשָׁע אַחֵר, לֹא עוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ שְׁלִיחוּת, אֶלָּא בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְכַוֵּן בּוֹ. זֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות כא) וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ. וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה דַּוְקָא, שֶׁלֹּא לַהֲרֹג אוֹתוֹ. זֶה וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ, כְּדֵי לְהַעֲנִישׁ אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם.
17. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אֵיךְ עוֹשֶׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלִיחוּת בִּידֵי אֵלֶּה וּבְיַד גּוֹי? אָמַר לוֹ, וְאָבִיךָ לֹא אָמַר לְךָ? אָמַר לוֹ, טֶרֶם שָׁאַלְתִּי.
18. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (איוב לד) וְהוּא יַשְׁקִט וּמִי יַרְשִׁעַ וְגוֹ’. וְהוּא יַשְׁקִט – בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן שֶׁקֶט וְשַׁלְוָה לָאָדָם, מִי הוּא שֶׁרַשַּׁאי לְהַזִּיק לוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ קָטֵגוֹרְיָה? וְיַסְתֵּר פָּנִים וּמִי יְשׁוּרֶנּוּ – וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהוּא מַסְתִּיר אֶת עֵינוֹ מִלְּהַשְׁגִּיחַ עָלָיו, מִי הוּא שֶׁיַּשְׁגִּיחַ עָלָיו לִשְׁמֹר אוֹתוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ שְׁמִירָה? וְדַרְכֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּזֶה עַל גּוֹי וְעַל אָדָם יַחַד. בֵּין לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, בֵּין לְעַם אֶחָד, בֵּין לְאֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ.
Zohar Shemini
Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon his grandfather, Rabbi Pinchas. There were walking and discussing words of Torah. When it was time to pray, they stopped and prayed.
While they were praying a snake wrapped itself around the legs of the rabbi Pinchas’ donkey. The donkey got scared, jumped and hee-haw twice. After they finished with their prayers Rabbi Pinchas explained that the donkey had this experience because once he took him through an impure place while he was reciting from the Torah.
Then Rabbi Pinchas commanded the snake to go back to his hole. The snake left the donkey and fell down to pieces.
We learn few things from this story. We should not get distracted and stop our meditation because of an external disturbance. Snakes act only by command from God. (Genesis 3:14,15)
Righteous people have control over animals and nature. Spiritual people can notice how animals around them respect the light in them. Dogs will not bark or bite a person that has light radiating through him. Cats will come closer and rub themselves on such a person to grab some of his or her light. Even animal in the zoo will come closer to the cage bars to welcome the visit.
The donkey of Rabbi Pinchas was special because he carried incarnations and correction of three famous souls. The Holy Ari and other kabbalists reveal that the donkey ‘hosted’ Ishmael, the son of Abraham because Rabbi Pinchas had a spark from Abraham’s soul.
The negative side of Esau was also ‘hosted’ in the donkey so he can serve and respect the Light. Balaam corrected his words through the donkey that listened to words of Torah. Balaam also treated his donkey badly when she stopped for the angel of God.
Those who hurt righteous people even in a small way get punished in any incarnation that they may be.
{||}